Hurricane Irma updates

It is 9:52 p.m. in Fort Lauderdale at my home near I-95 and State Road 84/Marina Mile. We are experiencing bands of heavy rain, wind gusts recorded to 60 mph and intermittent tornado warnings. The TV satellite service is intermittent and power went out for a minute. TV reports are that more than 80,000 people are without power in Miami-Dade County and more than 20,000 in Broward County.

Friends near the Triton office, close to US 1 and 17th St. in Fort Lauderdale, have lost electrical power. Friends in Dania Beach at Derecktor have lost cell service.

Hurricane Jose is following Hurricane Irma as an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds near 150 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Hurricane Jose was about 335 miles east-southeast of the Northern Leeward Islands at 5 p.m. ET , moving west-northwest at 17 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.Hurricane Irma has left damage and death through many islands in the Caribbean and most recently hit parts of Cuba and the central Bahamas. Several forecasts predict the storm will strengthen back into a Category 5 storm on its way to the Florida Keys.

Approximately 90 percent of the electricity infrastructure was damaged, significant damage to main water supply,

90 percent of government buildings and business structures suffered damage.

The airport runway and most roads leading to the airport have been cleared of debris and British troops supported refurbishment of two shelters damaged during the hurricane.

British Virgin Islands

Four (4) confirmed dead and the NEOC was destroyed and temporarily relocated to the 911 Centre.

The airport is operational but the tower has been compromised.

Needs reported: Support with communications especially to reconnect persons with families to let them know they are safe, emergency relief supplies: food, cots tarpaulins, water; infrastructure for electricity and water and security is critical need due to instances of looting.

The U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port has notified Port Everglades that Hurricane Port Condition YANKEE has been set for Hurricane Irma as of 8 a.m. today with gale force winds expected within 24 hours. At this time:

Port Everglades is closed to inbound ships and all ocean-going commercial vessels have departed the port except one tug and barge authorized by the Coast Guard to remain in port.

Given the current storm track, the USCG Captain of the Port projects setting Port Condition ZULU at 8 p.m., Friday, Sept. 8 with gale force winds expected within 12 hours.

The above times/dates are subject to change. The official Marine Safety Information Bulletin (MSIB) can be found:

Sarah Sebastian, show coordinator of the Antigua Charter Yacht Show reported to The Triton that, “Antigua is doing well, but all relief efforts should be centered around the islands to our north.”

“Unbelievably we are fine, that was a near devastating blow,” Sebastian wrote in an email. “But Barbuda is wiped out, boats are headed there today, they had the eye go over at 2:30 a.m. yesterday… All the islands are sending their troops and electricians, etc. to help put them back together.”She wrote that the staff is watching Hurricane Jose, which is expected be 70 miles east of the island on Saturday“We are all staying prepared, so there won’t be much from us until next week,” Sebastian wrote.The Antigua Charter Yacht Show’s board of directors and Antigua Show Management reported that Antigua was “mostly unaffected by the catastrophic category 5+++ Hurricane Irma.”The Antigua Charter Yacht Show resumed business activity and registration today for the upcoming show in December.

Update from Port Everglades:The U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port has notified Port Everglades that Hurricane Port Condition X-RAY has been set for Hurricane Irma as of noon today, Sept. 7, with the expected onset of gale force winds (39 – 54 mph) within 48 hours.Given the current storm track, the USCG Captain of the Port projects setting of the following conditions at the times noted: YANKEE at 8 a.m, Friday, Sept. 8 and ZULU at 8 p.m, Friday, Sept. 8.The above times/dates are subject to change. The official Marine Safety Information Bulletin (MSIB) can be found:USCG Homeport website at homeport.uscg.mil in the Miami section of the Port DirectoryPort Everglades Weather Alerts webpage at porteverglades.net/about-us/weather

Twelve (12) persons utilized the four (4) shelters that were opened. Each shelter received various levels of damage and are currently closed.

Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua

Three minor injuries reported prior to the hurricane and one injury sustained after the passage of Irma

Initial reports suggest Level 1 damage

Airport currently open for emergency landings, and VC Bird International Airport expected to reopen for commercial flights on Thursday, Sept. 7.

The Sea Port is intact and operational

Barbuda

Barbuda had experienced winds of 119 mph with gusts of 150 mph.

Contact was lost with Barbuda just after 1 a.m.. Note: Barbuda took down the antennae for radio communications as a mitigation measure and is expected to re-establish it after the winds have abated and hence a better idea of damage can be communicated.

Major damage to housing and commercial buildings reported with significant loss of resources

100 persons housed in nine shelters and reports of damage to the roof of one shelter.

Dominica

The island experienced some rains, gusty winds and experienced flash flooding in the south of the island on Tuesday, Sept. 5. No fatalities have been reported.

Monserrat

The island experienced some wind and rain, with no reports of damage to date.

Main power was shut off as a precautionary measure.

St. Kitts and Nevis

St. Kitts

No reports of deaths/missing persons at this time. Damage to homes in areas such as Conaree, Molineaux and St.Paul’s Keys.

Downed poles and trees, and disruption of electricity supply.

Nevis

Power is out and several persons had to be evacuated due to roofs of homes being blown off.

Sept. 6 6:00 p.m.

Marine Industries Association of South Florida issued the bridge closure schedule for South Florida:

Starting at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, ALL bridges on the New River, Miami River, and Intracoastal Waterway in Broward County, Florida will begin lockdown based on the current track of Hurricane Irma.

For additional information and updates on port conditions, visit the USCG Homeport website at: http://homeport.uscg.mil/miami. Vessels are advised not to go up the river if they do not have a destination.

Sept. 6 3:00 p.m.

The Virgin Islands Consortium posted a report that Hurricane Irma “ravaged through St. Martin and Anguilla, leaving homes without roofs, vehicles destroyed, and the St. Martin airport with immense damage.”

The news on website viconsortium.com stated that storm warnings for Guadeloupe, Antigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts, Nevis, and Montserrat have been discontinued.

Megan Lagasse is general manager of Bahia Mar Marina in Fort Lauderdale, which is under mandatory evacuation orders by the county.

“No one can stay on the beachside, everyone is supposed to evacuate,” Lagasse said by phone this afternoon.

Many of the larger yachts that are still in the marina are leaving, she said.

“A lot of the big guys are heading to Mexico,” Lagasse said. “A lot of our guests are not here right now, but we have many local companies trying to make sure the boats and everyone are safe. The evacuation is for everyone, including the hotel and staff.”

He said there has been no reported loss of life and that the airport will be open for flights into and out of Antigua by 2 p.m. today. He reported that property damage, “is not anywhere near the horrendous injury that was feared,” and that the island’s main infrastructure “has stood-up and our country can resume normal life within hours”. The report stated that the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force is at work clearing fallen trees and debris.

The Category 5 storm exceeds the base wind on the scale describes of winds more than 157 m.p.h. Category 5 storms predict: Catastrophic damage will occur: A high percentage of framed homes will be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last for weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.

CNN is reporting that four of the strongest buildings on the French side of St. Martin have been destroyed.

Tuesday, Sept. 5

The strongest storm in the Atlantic Basin in 10 years is heading for the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean.Hurricane Irma, a category 5 storm, is expected to pass near or over Antigua, the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico tonight or tomorrow morning.

Irma has maximum sustained winds of 175 m.p.h.

The exact path of the hurricane is unknown and dependant upon several weather patterns. The storm could head toward the U.S. Atlantic coast, Florida or the Gulf of Mexico toward the end of this week.